Budget Stress
by saye0036
Summary: Year end budget stress has M, Eve and Tanner getting surprise help from and unlikely source. James Bond offers to help and assures M that taking a break from the stresses of work every once in awhile, is healthy. However, an accident happens during their impromptu team building leads to giggling and secretes revealed.


Year end budget stress has M, Eve and Tanner getting surprise help from and unlikely source. James Bond offers to help and assures M that taking a break from the stresses of work every once in awhile, is healthy. However, an accident happens during their impromptu team building leads to giggling and secretes revealed.

* * *

Tanner exited M's office with his jacket off and his sleeves rolled up. They were at work late trying to finish up year end and it was nothing if not stressful. M was in a mood and he could tell that she needed something to eat but she refused to stop working long enough to have anything. She made mention of a headache coming on and that spelt trouble with a capital T for her loyal, if exasperated Chief of Staff.

"Moneypenny...thank god I caught you! Do you have anything for M to snack on? A Mars...or anything to stop her mood. I'd planned on ordered some dinner later but even if I do it now it will take awhile to get here and she's in a downward spiral. A headache is coming on."

Eve waved towards her purse in the corner. "Oh no...that's not good. I think their may be something in my bag have a look. I'm on my way to toilet and I will get us some tea since it will be a long night. Oh...and 007 called he's on his way in. I know...it's a big surprise but he even offered to help!" Eve moved to the door with her wallet in her hand.

"He better bloody well have the rest of his expense reports when he does or she will kill him!" Tanner moved to Eve's bag on the chair behind her desk as she rushed out of the room to relieve herself. He shakes his head heaving a sigh and wondering if Bond will ever broach his real admiration to M. She's the one woman on the planet that scares him to death and he bloody well loves her. Since the near tragedy at Skyfall they all try to look after her more...you never know what you have until you almost lose it.

Tanner looks for a bar of sweets, anything to curb M's hunger. Tanner looks in a tightly wrapped plastic grocery bag and finds something even better, homemade treats wrapped in plastic wrap. "Eve...you've been holding out on us."

Eve was still out of her office as Tanner found a plate in the corner and arranged the four chocolate cakes on it.

He walked back into the lionesses den and saw that M now had a series of reports spread all over the floor of her office as she sat on a cushion from the sofa on the floor in the midst of them.

"What took you so long?" M questioned abruptly without looking up from her organized mess on the floor.

"I begged Eve for something to keep your blood sugar up until the real food arrives. The place doesn't open until 17:00 and it will take an hour after that for it to arrive." Tanner held out the plate as M glanced at them. She took one and so did Tanner as he moved into the middle of the reports.

The two of the absently ate the treats as they discussed a new way of ordering the mess. Tanner would take the first half of the fiscal year and M the latter. Eve entered and handed them each a cup of tea.

Bond entered the chaos as Eve moved to the tray of treats. She picked one of the brownies in her hand but Bond snatched it from her.

"Thank you dearest...I starved!" M just rolled her eyes at him as he wolfed it down.

"Your expense reports?"

"In my office...I will go get them now." Bond said with a smile as he finished chewing. "I hope you're ordering food Tanner?"

"I was about to organize that but I will be sure to order more now that you're here to eat everything including Moneypenny's brownies."

Bond left to run for his office and those reports. He planned to stay and help with the mess of work they have.

Ever since Skyfall the three of them have been helping M as much as they can. The committee still wanted her to retire and they had to make sure everything was in order to prevent them from getting rid of her because of clerical errors and expenses.

Eve just finished eating the last brownie on the tray and began to cough. She sipped her tea to wash down the last of the crumps.

"My brownies? I didn't have any brownies? I thought you ran out an bought these when you couldn't find a Mars bar for M?"

"No...you told me to check your bag and I did. These were in your bag." Tanner said confused.

"What?" Eve's eyes went wide.

"They were in your bag." Tanner said slowly obviously confused.

"Oh my god…" Eve whispered pulling her hand to her mouth as her eyes went wide. She grabbed Tanner's arm and pulled him out into her office just at James returned with his reports.

"Dave left those in there!"

"What in where? And who is this Dave...Moneypenny?" James asked.

"My…friend Dave...gave me the brownies in my bag and you just gave one to M...oh my god...I'm going to be in so much trouble!"

"What? Why? Explain Moneypenny." Bond said looking worried.

"They're pot brownies and we have about an hour until they kick in. M's going to kill me!"

"Jesus Eve! What were you thinking bringing those to work?" Tanner asked.

"I meet him for lunch and he said they would be for tonight and this weekend to enjoy...oh Christ this is bad."

"I suggest we go in there and get as much done as possible until it kicks in. We stay all night if we have too. When does dinner arrive Bill?"

"Within the hour...I just emailed our order."

"Good and were likely to get thirsty I assume M's bar is stocked with more than just bourbon?" James asked crossing his arms."

"Yes...soda water, tonic and juice, why?" Tanner asked.

"Because this has officially become a work party. Eve send out an official do not disturb for the four of us. Disturb only on pain of death. We will stay here and keep M out of sight until we all ride out this trip we are about to go on. Tomorrow is Saturday and we will have to make up the work once we can think straight again."

"Are we going to tell her?" Tanner asked.

"No...she'll figure it out. No need to stress her now. Let's go help until we feel the effects begin to take over. Hopefully, they're not that strong and they wear off quickly." Bond said looking at Moneypenny.

"I have no idea. I've never done them before." Eve said as she shrugged her shoulders.

"I've been drugged on many occasions and all you can do is remain calm and ride it out. It will help that there are four of us going through the same thing." Bond added.

"Great...now we get to go on a trip with M, who's not in the bests of moods today. Damn it all! I liked this job." Eve said.

"Hey...I gave them out...it's my fault too. If you had seen them in time you would never have let me take them from your bag."

"What are the lot of you doing out here?" M arrived at her door looking miffed. "Get in here and we will organize the files by agent."

The three of them followed her in to see files spread all over.

"Behind the desk it is by department and by the sofa are the 00 agent files. All other agents are by the bar cart."

Bond handed his files to her and she placed them with the others. "Speaking of bar carts M…"

"Once we have at least this stack on my desk in order before you get into my booze Bond."

"Fine...with four of this is should be a breeze." Bond said smacking his hands together and rubbing them.

"You're actually staying? I thought you would be running for the nearest exit the moment you saw all the work Bill and I have to get done."

"No...no...Moneypenny and I will help lessen the load and make it go faster. I hear dinner is on it's way and I'm looking forward to spending quality time with our little team."

M looked at him suspiciously. "Why Bond?"

"Because I love being around you M...you are the most wonderful...beautiful boss I've ever had the privilege to kidnap, annoy and save. Or is that annoy, kidnap and save to annoy again?"

M harrumphed and moved to hand out piles from her desk to each of them. The four of them wandered around the office plopping files in different zones.

The work didn't take too long with four of them weaving through M's large rebuilt office. The contractors had remade the office to M's specifications within the time it took her to recover from the shot to her hip.

There were two comfortable chairs and a sofa on the left wall of the room and the bar was on the right. M's desk and chair resided in the centre with the large window overlooking the river and city, behind. It was a tasteful space but for one thing, according to Bond.

The ceramic bull dog called Jack was still in his place guarding M's desk from all taste as far as Bond was concerned.

All the piles of work were gathered and organized with M's approval. She glanced around the room at the three of them and their seeming single minded determination to get this paperwork done and organized. Her brow raised in question as she looked at the three of them. "Out with it!"

"With what M?" Tanner asked.

"The three of you have been working focused and quickly for a Friday past 17:00 hours and weekend plans hanging in the balance. Why so content to stay here? Surely it's not for the free dinner nor the treat of my liquor cabinet."

"M…we enjoy spending time with you." Bond said quickly. "What do we have to do now...let's get at it!"

M began to laugh and laugh...it was as if she couldn't stop laughing for the ridiculousness of Bond's claim to be enjoying this work.

"M?" Moneypenny asked concerned. "I have to tell you something. I had brownies in my purse and Tanner took them when I left the office. The thing about it is...is...that they were not just brownies...they were infused with pot."

M's laughter subsided some. "Pot? Seriously?"

"Yes, Ma'am and I'm so sorry."

"We all took them M...none of us knew at the time. Even Eve did not remember that she had them in her bag." Bond explained.

M began laughing again. "Pot...my god...I've not been stoned in…"

"What!" Tanner exclaimed.

"Oh come now Tanner I was alive in the 60's after all."

"M you surprise us. I'm just glad you didn't panic." Bond said with a smile that he couldn't seem to control or stop.

"I suppose I might have if I had never felt the effects of marijuana before. Why didn't you tell me?"

"We thought you might panic and we would get nothing done and end up on a bad trip, spending the next few hours locked together so no one else found out." Eve said.

"I suppose that could have happened. Bond you can get us all drinks now since we will be here awhile. The food will help us even out when it gets here. We might as well sit and leave the work. I don't want to deal with it in this condition."

Bond began to laugh. "You are a very wise woman M and remarkably contained considering. What would everyone like?"

"Beer!" Eve and Bill said at once.

"Gin and tonic please." M said.

Eve and Tanner dissolved into laughter as they watched Bond struggle with the bottles of beer and lose where and what he was doing.

M walked over to him and took the bottles and carried them over to Eve and Bill. Tanner dragged the two easy chairs closer to the coffee table beside the sofa. Bond managed to place ice in two glasses and pour the gin and tonic. Eve looked in the small refrigerator and found a lime. She sliced it into wedges and gave Bond two and placed one in the neck of her beer bottle.

M moved over to the lights and dimmed them. "I never could stand bright lights when I was in this condition."

"M you are just full of surprises." Bond said shaking his head. "We could do with some music or a silly movie to get lost in."

"I have a speaker at my desk." Moneypenny said as she kicked off her heels and bolted out to her office.

Tanner looked at his mobile. "The food is on it's way up. I will meet it at the elevator." Tanner left and held the door open for Eve as she came back with a small bluetooth speaker.

She set it on M's desk and used her mobile to start some of her music. "Hopefully this is to you liking."

"I'm sure it will be fine dear." M said casually. Eve smiled at the term of endearment.

Bond removed his jacket and tie opening the first few buttons of his dress shirt. M removed her jacket and rolled up the sleeves of her blouse much as Bond did his dress shirt. M and Eve were both wearing trousers today as they often had to sit on the floor to organize all the physical files for year end.

Tanner entered with some bags of food. He placed them on the table and then removed his jacket and tie just as Bond and M had. Eve handed out plates and cutlery as M and Bond opened the boxes of Chinese food.

"This smells wonderful." Bond said tossing back his first drink. Soon they were all set and ate occasionally breaking into laughter about something that popped into their heads. Or begin a mirthful fit over Tanner's inability to use chopsticks properly in their condition.

Tanner struggled to get out a story about the first time he had to work with M and how nervous he was. He had ended up spilling tea all over his trousers, just before meeting her. This evolved into everyone telling a tale of embarrassment at work.

"I once accidentally shredded a file that was to going to the Prime Minister's office." Eve admitted.

"What did you do?" M asked.

"I spent the entire day finding all the relevant documents again and printing them out. What about you M?"

"My most embarrassing moment...let me see...I think it was when I first began as an analyst. I was asked to give a lecture at a meeting and as I was setting up a man asked me to be a good girl and get him a tea, two sugars and a splash of milk."

"What did you do?" Eve asked excitedly.

"I stood there stunned and told him to get his own bloody drink I was busy setting up for MY lecture. He turned bright red and left. The other men looked at each other and paid very close attention to what I had to say."

"That does not sound too embarrassing M." Tanner said.

"That man went on to become Prime Minister and I tried to avoid ever being in the same room with him. Once he took office I was offered the furthest post away from London as a result."

"Hong Kong?" Bond asked. M just nodded and they ate some more as they pondered what had happened all those years ago while M was proving herself as head of H branch. The risks she took and also dealing with Tiago Rodriguez.

"What about you Bond or am I afraid to ask?" Tanner said laughing.

"Most embarrassing moment...let me see. There was my casual attempt at flirting with M the first time I met her...not knowing that she was M."

"Oh...yes. I remember. I thought to myself this one is bucking for a promotion already." M said with a wistful smile.

"Oh no...that was not it at all. I was attracted to you instantly and wanted to flirt enough to entice you into bed. I didn't know you were the new M. I knew M was a woman but I didn't know that this stunningly sexy woman with a pixie cut and power suit was actually M." Bond laughed as did the others but M frowned for a moment.

Bond realized in his embarrassment what he had just admitted. "OK strike that...this is now my most embarrassing moment."

"Why? Because you finally admitted what I've seen countless times James?" Eve asked. "You have a way of casually flirting...you do that with me all the time but it never reaches your eyes. You have very expressive eyes. When you speak with M...there has always been something more."

Eve giggled as she tried to explain, using her hands, more dramatically than usual. Eve continued on about how Bond watched M, not realizing that Bond was crimson in a full flush. And that M was silently watching all of them holding her drink in front of her like it was a protective shield of some sort.

"Eve...I need something sweet. Why don't you and I go on a little adventure down the street to find us all some candy, chocolate or something?"

"What...salty...I would rather salty snacks." Eve said as she got up and found her shoes. "I'm up for an adventure...I just hope I can keep from laughing too much before we get out of the building."

Tanner eyed a now silent Bond and M knowing that at least M needed a private moment with James after the bombshell he just dropped in front of them.

Eve didn't even find it shocking...she saw something that Tanner had obviously missed over the years. Stupid of him really...especially after Skyfall.

Tanner grabbed Eve's arm. "We will be gone a half an hour...maybe more." Tanner said as he looked at M. She just nodded as she took another sip of her drink.

"Tanner if you wouldn't mind...I have a craving for a Coca Cola."

"We will get you one M." Tanner and Eve left and Bond looked up from his drink to M's confused expression and sighed.

"Ok...they're gone. You can let me have it now." Bond said as he shrugged.

"Is what you said true?"

"What about?"

"Don't play obtuse Bond. I know you've been treating me differently since Skyfall but…"

"But what M...you didn't realize that I've been in love with you for years? And that I never had the guts to say anything, until it slipped out when I was stoned in your presence."

"Yes."

"I have been...I am...I have always been...in love with you. I just figured you were not interested in me that way."

"Why would you think that?!"

"You never reciprocated any of my flirting...I knew you were married...but…" Bond stumbled out in shock that M may have just...

"But what? You never tried anything! Flirting is one thing but I've witnessed enough of your seductions to know that you don't just pursue but pounce on your intended victims."

"Yes...I suppose that is part of the job...fast is better. You wanted me too?" He asked tentatively scared of a negative answer to a question he had alway desperately wanted to ask her.

"I would have liked a little more concrete signal than just flirting. I've seen you do that with everyone. If you really felt that way...why not say it?"

"Listen M...you're not the easiest to get close too and you were married and I didn't want to just be your little something on the side."

"As if I would have taken you at all! Let alone while Nigel lived!"

"See...why do you have to be such a bitch all the time. I just confessed to you that I've been in actual love with you for years and all I get is a derisive snort and that I'm not worthy to cheat on the husband with. I will have you know that many married women have and really enjoyed the time we spent together."

"I'm sure they did and look at what it got them...a dead husband. And do you even know what love is?"

"M! I did not stay here to fight with you...but to laugh and ride out this trip with you. Yes I bloody well know what love is! I'm staring it in the face at every meeting. Dealing with angst riddled feelings just hearing your voice on a mission. Holding you as you almost died..."

"If you didn't plan on fighting and arguing with me, why did you bring it up? You wanted me to know and now I do. I fail to see what the problem is? But that you fancy an old woman for some strange reason. This speaks to your mental state far more than it does mine."

"I...I can't...how can I convince you that you are the single most important person in my life?"

"You don't think you did that at Skyfall?"

"What?"

"I thought you were dead...I mourned you! This very office exploded and then you came back? That and you hiding in the dark in my flat waiting for me was a clue. You were stinking drunk and waiting for me to invite you to stay over, only you would be so bold."

"I was drunk...and I...I never thought that you would. I was going to tell you then but…"

"I knew you were. I could sense it, that's why I answered your questions for you that night and tossed you out. I had plenty of room to let you stay. I was just so angry that you had put me through all that for your petty need to lash out at me for…"

"Ordering me away from Ronson and ' _Take the bloody shot!_ '"

"Yes." M looked down into her glass and sighed. "No regrets." M whispered and held up her glass as giving a lonely salute to the air between them.

Bond moved from the chair across from her to the seat beside her. Bond took her hand in his and caressed it with his thumb. "Now what?"

"What now? I don't know James." M's eyes fluttered as she turned to look at him. It was almost painful looking into his desperate eyes. Just like that night he returned to her. That night that she figured out, that what really made James Bond tick. That it had been her all along and damn it, if it didn't terrify her.

It was too much like Silva...and at the time she suspected it was Tiago behind the disaster here at HQ. Letting 007, another orphan looking for a...mother...figure, get too close could cost lives later. But this was 007 not some distorted former computer analyst from Hong Kong, who took things too far without her permission. James had asked permission to take her to Scotland and she had agreed.

"You won't go like him...I mean...I never thought he would but the torture...and you...you are a bright light of chaos at the best of times." M said as she began to smile and laugh at her own observation.

"Hey...what's so funny about comparing me to a mad man...although, that last bit was alright." Bond said with a smirk as he to began laughing. Bond caressed her hand with his thumb as he sat laughing beside her.

Then Bond reached for her, cupping her jaw and turning her face towards him. He leaned down and kissed her.

M pulled away laughing. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Kissing you...isn't it obvious. Tanner gave us the time and opportunity to explore this...relationship in more depth."

"And...what do you think you're going to accomplish...stoned...in my office for a few minutes alone?"

"M you would be amazed what I can accomplish stoned and alone with you."

M cackelled in laughter as Bond frowned. He leaned in and kissed her again with far more force this time. No need to be hesitant as she responded to his first attempt with only giggles. Bond had to entice her far more than that.

This time he moved to his knees in front of M on the sofa and kissed her passionately. M began to lean forward into him as his lips melted into hers. What on earth was she doing...how could she snog Bond in her office!

But damn if it didn't ignite a fire deep within her. M had been frustrated for an age and now she knew why. She needed sex. That didn't end with age and widowhood.

Their tongues did battle and M pulled him by his neck closer to her as he leaned her to reclining on the sofa.

Bond was happy it was working as his hands moved to her blouse and undid the buttons to allow his hands to slip to her bra. Bond felt the glorious weight of her breasts in his hands. He squeezed and slid his thumb over the soft fabric and her hardening nipple.

M moaned at what his hands were doing when there was a sudden sound in Moneypenny's office, outside the door. M came to her senses and pushed Bond up off her. She sat bolt upright and buttoned her blouse as fast as she could. However, she could not contain the flush on her cheeks or the panic in her eyes.

Bond plopped back down beside her her not willing to put much distance between them again. "Poor timing as usual but we will be continuing this later." Bond said as he looked at her worried that she would say no.

"Yes...at my place. You can drive me home. Do not let this become water cooler conversation Bond."

"I will be ultra discreet...I can assure you. I don't know how I'll manage until then...you've got me wound tight, with just a few minutes snogging."

M began to giggle again as a laughing Tanner and Eve made it back into the office with a large bag of treats. Eve pulled out a bottle of Coke and handed it to M who smiled.

"Did we give you enough time to...work things out between you?" Eve asked winking at Bond and laughing.

Bond just smirked, "Tanner promised a half hour…" and then laughed as M seemed to colour more red as she took a sip of cold Coke.

"Eve...don't encourage him!" Tanner said with a whine. "I don't want M hurt and the smug smile on his face will do me in. If I have to keep this...affair a bloody secret on top of all the other secrets I keep."

"Tanner...I will not hurt M...that has always been the furthest thing from my mind. Pass me something." Tanner tossed a Mars bar to Bond and Eve pulled open a large bag of crisps. Tanner opened a bag of popcorn and offered it around. Tanner and Eve sat across from them as the four of them began to enjoy their snacks.

"I have to say...these are nice." Tanner said with a smile.

"What are?" Eve asked.

"I think Mr. Tanner is enjoying the herbal refreshment Eve." Bond said with a smirk.

"And you aren't?" Tanner asked.

"Oh I'm enjoying it far more than I thought possible." Bond said as he looked at M pointedly.

"It is fun after a long week." M said with a smile as she reached forward and helped herself to one of Eve's crisps. She sat back pulling Bond's arm that was holding the Mars bar to her mouth and took a substantial bite.

"Hey...you could have asked for one." Bond exclaimed as Tanner laughed and opened the bag to reveal several Mars and Kit Kat bars waiting for someone to enjoy.

M tossed her head back laughing as Bond took a bar and dramatically presented it to her. M accepted the treat and offered Bond her Coke to take a sip of. He accepted it as M unwrapped her candy. Eve delved into her crisps as Tanner hummed along with the song playing on Eve's speaker.

* * *

All in all only three hours had passed and M was lying with her head back on the sofa. Tanner sang along with Eve to the songs on her mobile and Bond stood contemplatively by the window watching the city below.

Occasionally he glanced back at the three other people in the office and his heart swelled with an emotion he thought long ago lost. A family of sorts. He loved M and that was a passion he thought would long remain buried. It took inebriation of a sort to expose himself like that with the help of Tanner and Eve who obviously saw through his flirtations to something deeper.

They would guard this secret for her...they all would do anything for her and yet there she was dozing on the sofa unaware of the depth of feeling they all had for her. The river glinted and moved in the light cast down from this ancient city. How many sets of eyes had watched the progression of water in the thousands of years that people had populated her banks?

There was suddenly a small hand encased in rings from another man on his arm, as he turned to smile down on the woman who had changed his life for the better in the years he'd know her. One day...soon her lovely fingers would grace a ring from him also.

"You're rather contemplative 007. I suppose encroaching sobriety has made you think on your earlier confessions."

"Yes in that I was a fool not to tell you that night in your flat."

"Which night in my flat? You practically took up residence." M laughed.

"I was only there a few times and some of those...you were married still."

"When you returned from Turkey." M said nodding. That moment between them had been electric. She knew then he wanted her badly but she was too furious with him to even consider…

"Yes...the night you kicked me out, thus preventing me from telling you how I felt."

"I was angry and you were drunk. We would have fought and said something that ruined our professional relationship and I couldn't have that!" M said with a smirk reflecting in the window as they both watched the city below.

"I love you M."

"I know...James."

James turned to look down at her, a brow raised in a questioning gesture. " _You know_...do you? So then, what are we going to do about all this pent up sexual tension?" He winked at her as he smirked knowingly.

M smiled with a twinkle in her eyes as she cast a side glance at her favourite agent. "On one hand, I think we should take it slow..."

Bond look changed to something decidedly more panicked. "Slow! My god woman I've been waiting a decade!"

"You never let me finish. On the other hand, I'm not getting any younger." M smiled and Bond pulled her lips to his.

They began kissing slowly...enticingly playing with the exploration of the other's mouth. Their tongues twirling and dancing together, silhouetted against the window, with the city below them.

All the while the two stoned singing compatriots sitting over in the lounge area, where looking at them with big smiles on their faces.

It was beautiful and passionate all at once. Time was relative under these conditions. Even the simplest of tasks lasted an eternity. The lovers were locked in blissful moaning breaths of pleasure that ended in small pecs and nips on her neck, lips and earlobes. It all ended far too quickly for Bond's liking but they needed to breathe sometime.

M was shocked with herself and at how easy it was to just let Bond in. She had expected fireworks, yet it seemed...easy...muted. Perhaps it was all meant to be and this was the universe's way of telling her that. Oh there was passion, there was no doubting the bubbling desire, even in at her age. But there was also a level of comfort that one had when you've been lovers a long time and been through much together.

This was love and that he felt it too was truly the remarkable part. M was content, and by the easy smile on James' face it seemed that he was too.

Tanner cleared his throat, now standing propped against M's desk beside a giggling Eve. "You two should really find someplace more private for that kind of action."

"We will...once I can drive us to her's safely. The two of you had better keep this quiet. I know Eve will or she could be canned for causing us to become impaired to begin with." Bond kept an arm wrapped around M, unwilling to let her get away anytime soon. He hoped that it wouldn't be too much longer before he could take her home and have his wicked way with her.

M smiled up at him and pat his arm around her waist. "This evening never happened."

"Oh it bloody well did! And it will be the best memory of my life once the evening is done." Bond exclaimed.

Eve nodded and tried to appear serious for a few second but dissolved again into the giggles. "It was an accident and I'm really sorry. Admit it though; you love me for it now!"

"Yes I do...dear Moneypenny." Bond said with a bow.

"And I will not tell a soul, so long as you do nothing to harm M emotionally." Tanner explained. "Because a grumpy M becomes my business."

"And mine!" Eve exclaimed.

"Bring treats in every Friday, Eve and maybe that will change." Bond said with a wink as they all laughed together.

The end


End file.
